Las Vegas police investigating a rape allegation against Cristiano Ronaldo have sent a warrant to authoritie...

Posted: Jan. 11, 2019 9:56 AM

Updated: Jan. 11, 2019 9:56 AM

Posted By: CNN Wire

Las Vegas police investigating a rape allegation against Cristiano Ronaldo have sent a warrant to authorities in Italy requesting a sample of the Portuguese football superstar's DNA, a police spokeswoman said Thursday.

"The LVMPD is taking the same steps in this case as in any other sexual assault to facilitate the collection of DNA evidence," Officer Laura Meltzer said. "We can confirm that an official request has been submitted to Italian authorities."

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The Wall Street Journal reported police sent the warrant to a court in Italy, where Ronaldo plays for famed club Juventus.

"Mr. Ronaldo has always maintained, as he does today, that what occurred in Las Vegas in 2009 was consensual in nature, so it is not surprising that DNA would be present, nor that the police would make this very standard request as part of their investigation," Ronaldo's attorney Peter S. Christiansen said Thursday.

CNN could not reach Mayorga's representatives on Thursday.

Mayorga went to police eight years ago

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Aden Ocampo-Gomez said in October that in 2009 Mayorga made a complaint but did not provide an assailant's name or the location of the alleged assault.

She wanted only to report a sexual assault and submit to a medical exam, he said.

Investigators did not follow up with Mayorga and the case was closed shortly thereafter, he said. But the evidence, including images and other information from the exam, is still with police. The case was reopened at the request of Mayorga or someone representing her, Ocampo-Gomez said in October.

Las Vegas police did not comment on Thursday.

Mayorga's lawsuit accuses Ronaldo, 33, and his camp of taking advantage of her fragile emotional state to coerce her into signing a settlement and nondisclosure agreement in 2009. She claims she received $375,000 in exchange for her silence. Her lawsuit seeks to void the settlement and agreement.